Privacy Notice
James’ Place Privacy Notice
Last updated: 6 October 2026
About us
James’ Place works to save the lives of men in suicidal crisis. We are a charity offering free, life-saving therapy to men in suicidal crisis at our centres in Birmingham, Liverpool, London and Newcastle. We raise funds, run events and increase awareness so that we can reach people who need our help.
This notice explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it and what we do with it. We have tried to keep things as clear and jargon-free as possible. Where we use a legal term, we explain what it means in plain language.
We are the “data controller” for your personal information. That simply means we are the organisation that decides why and how your information is used. Our details are:
James’ Place Charity number: 1121891 ICO registration: ZA658401
If you have any questions about how we use your information, or if you want to exercise any of the rights described at the end of this notice, please contact our data protection officer at dpo@jamesplace.org.uk.
We use cookies on our website. Cookies are small files that websites place on your device to remember things like your preferences or to help us understand how people use our site. We have a separate cookies notice that explains this in detail.
Information we collect about people who use our services
This section is for you if you have been referred to James’ Place, or if you have contacted us yourself for support.
What we collect
We collect the information we need to provide you with safe, effective therapeutic support. This includes your name, date of birth, contact details, GP details and the name and contact details of someone we can reach in an emergency (such as a family member or close friend). It also includes clinical information such as notes from your sessions, risk assessments, safety plans and information about your mental health.
This clinical information is what the law calls “special category data”. That is a legal term for information that is particularly sensitive: Such as information about your health: And which the law says must be handled with extra care. You can see exactly which legal basis we rely on in the legal bases table below.
If you are a young person, we may also collect information about your parent or guardian and carry out a Gillick competence assessment. That is an assessment that helps us work out whether a young person is able to make their own decisions about their care, without needing a parent or guardian to consent on their behalf.
Where we get your information
Most of the information we hold about you comes directly from you, or from whoever referred you to us. Referrals can come from NHS services, your GP, talking therapies services, Citizens Advice Bureau or other partner organisations. If you referred yourself, we will have collected your details when you got in touch.
We may also receive clinical information about you from NHS services, such as discharge summaries or correspondence from your GP.
How we use your information
We use your information to provide you with therapeutic support, to communicate with your GP about your care and to keep you safe. We also keep records so that we can monitor the quality and safety of our services.
We want to be open with you about something: When we write to your GP, that letter becomes part of your medical record. This can have implications down the line, for example if you apply for certain types of insurance or employment that ask about your medical history. We will always talk to you about this.
If we ever want to use your story in a case study, a publication or on our website, we will always ask for your separate, specific consent first. You are under no obligation to agree, and you can change your mind and withdraw your consent at any time.
Information we collect about our supporters and donors
This section is for you if you have made a donation, supported a fundraising event, signed up for our newsletter, or otherwise engaged with our fundraising or communications.
What we collect
We collect the information we need to manage our relationship with you and to keep in touch. This typically includes your name, postal address, email address, phone number, donation history, communication preferences and any correspondence between us.
If you take part in a fundraising event, we may also hold your event registration details and, for physical events, emergency contact information.
If you support us through a trust, foundation or grant-making body, we may hold the contact details of trustees or grant managers, records of grants and giving history, and, where relevant, information about the individual philanthropist behind a trust.
If you have made a legacy pledge or left us a gift in your will, we hold information relating to that pledge, including correspondence with solicitors or executors.
Where we get your information
We receive your information in a number of ways. You may have given it to us directly: For example, by making a donation on our website, signing up for our newsletter, attending an event or getting in touch with us.
We also receive information from third-party fundraising platforms. If you donated or set up a fundraising page through a service such as JustGiving or Raisely, the information you provided on that platform is passed on to us so that we can record your donation and thank you.
We may also use publicly available sources: Such as internet searches, public registers, Companies House records, Charity Commission listings and your own website or social media profiles: To understand more about your interests, networks and philanthropic activities. We do this so that we can approach you in a way that is relevant and respectful, and so that we can make the most of every opportunity to fund our life-saving work. We will never use this information in a way that is intrusive or that would cause you distress.
How we use your information
We use your information to process and record your donations, to thank you, to keep you updated about our work (where you have agreed to hear from us or where we are permitted to do so) and to manage our relationship with you over time.
Where we send you marketing emails or text messages, we will either have your consent or rely on the charitable soft opt-in that applies where you have previously supported us and we gave you the opportunity to opt out. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email, by replying STOP to a text, or by contacting us directly.
Donor due diligence
As a charity, we have a legal duty to make sure that the donations we accept are lawful and do not expose the charity to risk. Before accepting significant donations from individuals, companies or other organisations, we may carry out due diligence checks using publicly available sources such as internet searches, Companies House records, the Charity Commission register and sanctions lists. We do this to comply with our legal obligations as charity trustees and to protect James’ Place from reputational harm. We will only collect information that is proportionate and relevant to this purpose.
Fundraiser stories
If you fundraise for us: For example, by running a marathon or organising an event: We may ask if you would be willing to share your story so that we can inspire others to support our work. If you agree, we will ask for your consent before publishing anything. You can withdraw your consent at any time, and we will remove your story from our materials.
Sensitive personal information shared by donors
We understand that many of our supporters are personally motivated to support James’ Place because they have been affected by the loss of someone to suicide. Some donors choose to share this with us so that we can better understand what drives their support.
If you do share this kind of personal and sensitive information with us, we want you to know that we treat it with the greatest care and sensitivity. We will only record it with your knowledge and will use it to make sure we are thoughtful in how we communicate with you: For example, by being mindful around dates that may be significant to you. We will never share this information outside the charity, and we will never use it in a way that feels intrusive. Our legal basis for holding this information is your explicit consent, and you can ask us to delete it at any time.
Events and photography
We sometimes take photographs at James’ Place events, such as fundraising dinners, challenge events and awareness activities. These photographs may be used on our website, in our newsletter or on our social media channels to promote our work and celebrate the support of our community.
Where photographs capture the general atmosphere of an event and you are not the main focus, we rely on our legitimate interests as the legal basis. Where we want to use a close-up or featured photograph of you in our publications, we will ask for your consent first. If you would prefer not to be photographed at one of our events, please let a member of our team know and we will make sure your wishes are respected.
Information we collect about everyone who uses our website or contacts us
If you contact us through our website: For example, to make an enquiry or request information: We will collect the information you provide, such as your name and email address. We use this to respond to your enquiry.
We use cookies and similar technologies on our website. Please see our separate cookies notice for full details.
Advocacy and public affairs
James’ Place is committed to advocating for better suicide prevention policy. As part of this work, we may collect and use publicly available information about policymakers, parliamentarians, local government officials and other individuals involved in relevant policy decisions. This information may include professional contact details, published policy positions and publicly stated interests.
We use this information to engage with individuals who have the ability to influence policy that affects the people we support. Our legal basis for this processing is legitimate interests: Advancing our charitable objectives and contributing to public policy that can help prevent suicide. We will only contact you in your professional capacity, and you can ask us to stop at any time.
Information we collect about our staff and volunteers
If you work for us or volunteer with us, we hold information that we need to manage the employment or volunteer relationship. This includes your contact details, contract or agreement details, payroll information, DBS check results, training records and, where relevant, sickness and occupational health information.
We provide a separate, more detailed staff privacy notice when you join us.
Emergency contacts and next of kin
If someone has given us your details as an emergency contact: For example, a person using our services has named you as their next of kin: We hold your name, your relationship to that person and your phone number. We use this information only if we need to contact you because of a concern about that person’s welfare. We understand that you did not provide this information directly, which is why we are telling you about it here.
Our legal bases
The law says that organisations need a legal reason: Called a “lawful basis”: To use personal information. Where information is particularly sensitive (such as health data), an additional legal condition is also required. The table below sets out, for each type of person and activity, which legal basis and (where applicable) which additional condition we rely on.
Where we refer to “legitimate interests”, this means we have a genuine and reasonable need to use your information, and we have carefully balanced that need against your rights and privacy. You always have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests, and if you do we will stop unless we can demonstrate compelling reasons to continue.
| Who you are | What we use your information for | Our legal basis | Additional condition for sensitive information |
| People who use our services | Providing therapeutic support, clinical assessments and safety planning | Legitimate interests: Delivering our services in your best interests | Provision of health or social care (Article 9(2)(h), Schedule 1 DPA 2018) |
| People who use our services | Communicating with your GP about your care | Legitimate interests: Continuity of care | Provision of health or social care |
| People who use our services | External clinical supervision (using initials only) | Legitimate interests: Clinical governance and safety | Provision of health or social care |
| People who use our services | Publishing case studies or testimonials | Your consent: We will always ask first | Your explicit consent (Article 9(2)(a)) |
| Young people using our services | Gillick competence assessments and, where relevant, parental engagement | Legitimate interests: Delivering age-appropriate care | Provision of health or social care |
| Emergency contacts | Holding your details in case of a welfare concern about someone using our services | Legitimate interests: Safeguarding | Not applicable |
| Donors and supporters | Recording donations, managing our relationship with you, thanking you | Legitimate interests: Raising funds to deliver our charitable mission | Not applicable |
| Donors and supporters | Sending you marketing emails or texts | Your consent, or the charitable soft opt-in where you have previously supported us | Not applicable |
| Donors and supporters | Understanding your interests using publicly available sources | Legitimate interests: Making our approaches relevant and effective | Not applicable |
| Donors and supporters (including corporate donors) | Donor due diligence: Checking publicly available sources before accepting donations | Legal obligation (charity trustees’ duties, Proceeds of Crime Act, sanctions law) and legitimate interests (protecting the charity’s reputation) | Not applicable |
| Donors and supporters | Recording sensitive personal information you have chosen to share with us (see below) | Your explicit consent | Your explicit consent (Article 9(2)(a)) |
| Fundraisers | Publishing case studies or stories about your fundraising | Your consent: We will always ask first | Not applicable (unless you choose to share sensitive personal information, in which case: Your explicit consent) |
| Trusts and foundations | Administering grants and maintaining the relationship | Legitimate interests | Not applicable |
| Event participants | Managing your registration, event communications and safety | Contract: Your event registration | Not applicable (unless you disclose health information for safety reasons, in which case: Your explicit consent) |
| Event attendees | Taking and publishing photographs at our events | Legitimate interests for general event photography; your consent for close-up or featured photos used in publications | Not applicable |
| Website visitors | Responding to your enquiries | Legitimate interests | Not applicable |
| Website visitors | Cookies and analytics | Your consent (required under UK privacy regulations) | Not applicable |
| Policymakers and public officials | Collecting publicly available information to support our advocacy and lobbying on suicide prevention policy | Legitimate interests: Advancing our charitable objectives | Not applicable |
| Staff and volunteers | Managing the employment or volunteer relationship | Contract, legal obligation, or legitimate interests as appropriate | Employment law conditions (Schedule 1 DPA 2018) where health data is involved |
| Staff and volunteers | Payroll and tax administration | Contract and legal obligation (PAYE, National Insurance) | Not applicable |
| Staff and volunteers | DBS checks and right-to-work verification | Legal obligation | Substantial public interest (Schedule 1 DPA 2018) |
Who we share your information with
We only share your information when we need to, and we are careful about who we share it with. The categories of organisations we may share your information with include:
Healthcare providers. If you use our services, we may share relevant information with your GP surgery so they know you have been accepted and to support continuity of care at discharge. We may also receive or share information with NHS services and partner organisations that referred you to us.
External clinical supervisors. Supervision is a normal part of good therapeutic practice. When your case is discussed in supervision, your full name is not used: Therapists use initials only.
Emergency services, safeguarding authorities or your emergency contact, if we believe there is an immediate risk to your life or safety, or to the life or safety of someone else.
Technology and platform providers. We use a range of technology platforms to run our services securely, manage donor relationships and send communications. These providers process your information on our instructions and under strict contractual agreements. They include providers of our clinical records system, our donor CRM platform, our email marketing platform, our event management and invitation platforms and our HR system.
Fundraising platforms. If you donated through a third-party platform such as JustGiving or Raisely, that platform is a separate organisation with its own privacy notice. We receive your donation information from them.
Finance and payroll providers. We use external providers for payroll processing, accounting and donation reconciliation.
Recruitment and vetting providers. We use external platforms for recruitment and for carrying out DBS and right-to-work checks.
Social media platforms. We operate accounts on platforms including X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and BlueSky. These platforms have their own privacy policies, and in some cases we are joint controllers with the platform for page-insights data.
Regulators, law enforcement and legal advisers, where we are required to do so by law, by a court order or to protect someone’s safety.
International transfers
Some of the technology platforms we use are provided by companies based outside the UK. This means your personal information may be transferred to, or stored in, countries outside the UK: For example, within the European Economic Area or the United States.
Where this happens, we make sure appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include standard contractual clauses approved by the UK government, reliance on a UK adequacy decision (which confirms that a country provides a similar level of data protection to the UK), or an approved certification scheme. If you would like more detail about the specific safeguards we rely on, please contact our data protection officer.
How long we keep your information
We only keep your information for as long as we need it. How long that is depends on why we collected it in the first place. The table below gives you a summary of our main retention periods.
| Type of information | How long we keep it |
| Clinical records of people who use our services (including correspondence and safeguarding reports filed to your record) | 8 years from discharge or last contact |
| Records relating to a client who has died | Until any inquest or related proceedings have concluded, then 8 years from the date of death |
| Referrals not taken forward | 2 years from the referral decision |
| Website referral forms started but not submitted | 30 days |
| Emergency contact details | Deleted with the related client record |
| Financial and donation records | At least 6 years |
| Donor relationship records | While the relationship is active, plus 7 years |
| Marketing preferences | Until you unsubscribe (we keep a suppression record so we do not contact you again) |
| Rights request logs | 3 years from closure of the request |
| Website enquiries | 12 months |
Where a record is subject to a legal claim, complaint, inquest or investigation, we keep it until that matter has concluded.
Your rights
The law gives you a number of rights over your personal information. You do not have to pay anything to use these rights, and we will do our best to respond within one month.
See what we hold. You can ask us for a copy of the personal information we hold about you. This is called a “subject access request”.
Fix anything that is wrong. If any of the information we hold about you is incorrect or incomplete, you can ask us to put it right.
Ask us to delete it. In certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your personal information. We will do so unless we have a legal obligation to keep it.
Ask us to stop using it. You can ask us to restrict how we use your information while a concern is being resolved. You can also object to our use of your information where we are relying on legitimate interests as our lawful basis. If you object, we will stop unless we can show there are compelling reasons to continue.
Move it somewhere else. In some cases, you can ask us to provide your information in a portable format so that you can give it to another organisation.
Withdraw your consent. Where we rely on your consent: For example, for marketing communications or case studies: You can withdraw it at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect anything we did with your information before you withdrew it.
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact our data protection officer at dpo@jamesplace.org.uk.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, we would like the chance to put things right. Please contact our data protection officer in the first instance.
If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator.
Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF Tel: 0303 123 1113
Website: Ico.org.uk